Beautiful Lies
by LillTidBitsOfRealisticFantasy
Summary: Trisha Evlin is finally at the age when she will take apprenticeship under a Mentor of the Gem Cities. But as she begins her new life in the beautiful Emerald City, the death of a girl shocks everybody. And the girl just so happens to have the same face as her. As she goes deeper into the mystery, she finds underneath the glamour of the Gem Cities, there's darkness waiting to kill.
1. Judgement Day

_(Trigger Warning)_

"_**Time to Welcome the Winter in Me."**_

_Welcome the City of Emerald, where you live in Gates and wildness is a sin._

It was custom that every child at the age of 10 must be selected by a Mentor of the cities. Today was the day, May 7th, Trisha would be chosen...though ended up with blood on her instead.

* * *

It was morning, the wind blowing in her face gently she sat outside of her cabin, waiting for the Hessonite Soldiers to come collect her with the other children for the Academy. She played with the silver band that clutched her wrist tightly. She moved it around her wrist, biting her lip until it became numb.

She pushed her bright blonde hair back behind her ears, then fixed the school hat a top her head. She thought about how it would go with her Mentor, and silently hoped that she would be chosen by Mentor Killian, who worked in the business area of the City. It was the most expected from the Mentor, since he had grown fond to the Evlin family and from the mother's side of the family, everyone child and adult believed that Trisha was going to work in the business industry.

Trisha spotted the Hessonite Soldiers marching up to her cabin, their hands clutching the large guns at their side. She titled her head, wondering what kind of gun they carried in the strong holsters. Some say the weapons were the old kind, illegally bought from an unknown source. Though a few older children believe that the guns were specially designed to hold powder and erupt into fire once triggered, also equipped with "out of this world" lasers. The thought of both ideas made Trisha roll her eyes.

The Hessonite Soldiers stopped in front of Trisha, their face hidden behind dark shades and a helmet. She looked up at the Soldiers and nodded kindly, as a hello, then gathered her books. The Soldiers turned away from the thirteen-year-old, waiting patiently for the teenager. She stepped behind the Soldiers, her walking soon falling in sync with the women and man.

As soon as she was at least a mile or two away from her cabin, they came across another town, the town of Green Onyx. A few children followed Soldiers cladded in the Green Onyx they were named after. She eyed the beautiful color the children wore, and then eyed the mucky maroon her town's Soldiers wore. She fixed the strap of her shoulder bag and hid her face behind her dark grey coat.

She was the only child of the town because all the other houses were empty or wrapped in debris. Also it was the fact that her Cabin sat at the edge of the Gated area, where the Epidemic lies.

"Can you please tell me the schedule for today?" Trisha questioned. The man Soldier glanced back Trisha and nodded.

"Today, you attend school until exactly nine-o- seven, when you and your class will be dismissed for the Mentor Ceremony. After the Ceremony you shall leave for your cabin and pack your belongings unless already given at the Ceremony. From that point on you are free to do so with your Mentor." The Soldier told the young teen.

"Thank you." She smiled, like she was taught to. The man nodded back, though he didn't even turn to look at Trisha. She glanced at the next town, looking for a certain woman.

'_Hello Baby Tooth!' _A sign waved far, in the group of Aqua children gathering together. Toothiana smiled at Trisha and waved frantically. She smiled at the training Mentor, and waved back timidly. Toothiana was a woman who worked under a special program to become a Mentor of a certain industry. She worked in Dental Care so she was hoping her job could become a wanted job kids would take interest in.

Trisha then turned back towards the road the Hessonite Soldiers always took. She glanced at the women Soldier, who quirked an eyebrow. Trisha knew that her nickname was a strange one but she was using it for secret. Tooth and she would secretly give gifts to children who lost their teeth, though the other children didn't know who would leave a note and gift on their window seal, only the Tooth Fairy and her special assistant Baby Tooth.

Though, Toothiana usually went by the name Thia to make sure that none of the children found out it was her who made and planted the gifts at their windows. Trisha only ever told her nickname to adults or teenagers, hoping they would understand not to tell the young children who had hope in their eyes.

The white and navy blue buildings came into Trisha's view, bright and big. She glanced at the roads out of the corner of her eye. All the children from the six towns, including her, walked with the Soldiers towards the large City. She found that the closer she got to the Academy, the more her body buzzed and grew numb.

* * *

_**8:30**_

The class was deadly silent.

No one spoke a whisper, their eyes scanning over their books though gaining nothing from the words that blurred in their minds. A stranger wedge was driven into the atmosphere. It was numb, dead and buzzing. It was unusual for a class of teenagers who were usually chattering away and ignoring the teacher's threat to take away a useless subject to them.

Trisha let her mind wander and question; though it was forbidden to do so. She questioned why the City's Minister-or Captain as he prefers-changed the Mentor Ceremony for children of the age of ten, from the custom of becoming an apprentice at the age of eighteen. Why was all the Cities gated off from each other, why were children born into different Gem Towns? What if she wasn't good enough for a Mentor? That sent a finger of ice up her spine.

She slunk down into her seat, fear and nervousness slinking in her gut. If you weren't chosen by a Mentor, you'd get sent outside the Gates. No Cities to look after you, no parents or Mentors, just the frightful wild where the Epidemic lay.

'_No…that won't happen.' _She had been study all factions of the Mentors, making sure she had enough knowledge to fit in somewhere.

_**8:50**_

Trisha refused to ever let her mind wander again!

Though, something inside her laughed at her, as if it she was telling a joke to herself. She shook her head, going back to the lesson and tried to focus.

* * *

As told, they were released at the precise time. Trisha walked quickly to the front doors, her body suddenly shaking from…was it fear or nervousness? At that point, her mind told her to forget about it.

She left the Academy as quickly as she could, following the trail towards the road where she came up from. She dropped her bag and books there, hoping the Soldiers would pick them up as promised by the regulations of the Captain. She flattened her blue skirt, fixed the baby blue blouse, and slipped off the hat and grey coat. She took a moment to compose herself, and then heaved a large breath that she felt like she was holding for the entire morning.

Trisha then followed the sidewalk where all children and teenagers were heading towards. Eighteen and ten-year-olds scattered. Kids of those ages or in-between kept a different mask on. Fear, nervousness, bravery, or it was plain with no emotion. Trisha couldn't be sure of what her eyes said, but she decided to ignore it.

The City Hall was only a few feet away from the children and teens now; the buzz and cold wind winding around each body. Trisha examined the great white building that was dressed with roses and Emerald cloths that strung within each pillar.

Soldiers came out from the pillars; none belonging to any town and wore generic City Emerald Soldier attire: Emerald uniform with a helmet and dark shades to hide their eyes. The Soldiers led the children and teens into the doors, keeping sure that the adolescents didn't wander off into different corridors. Trisha entered the building, her breath taken away. It wasn't too fancy, but lovely enough to look as if it cost millions. Emerald carpets and light green walls covered the hall, and portraits laced the walls with odd looking men and women who must have been Captains of the Cities before the Captain they had now.

Trisha glanced down a certain corridor, a bright light illuminating the light green wall that hid in the dark. She slowed her walk, wanting to catch the light for a bit longer. Then, she drifted off to the side, unnoticed by the children and teens that were too consumed by their emotions and thoughts to actually notice the blonde silently hop into the hall.

Trisha didn't take long to find the light, only a quick few hops to the room, but was surprised to find another blonde teen turned face away from here. She knitted her eyebrows in confusion, stepping closer to the girl who sounded like she was crying. Trisha said no words as the teenager turned around.

The air became sick, as if toxins were consuming the room. Any air left inside her was gone in a moments notice. Trisha's eyes grew wide and confused, and fear edging them.

It was her. It was her, but it wasn't.

Then the gun immediately went off, sending the bullet through the stranger's head.

* * *

Song-_** Winter In Me: Skylar Grey**_

_Hello Friends I am alive!_

_I'm not too confident with the story so, I'm not sure if I'll continue it (it's rather bland the first few chapters). I hope you did enjoy the first chapter even the tiniest bit (I hope I didn't put in too much unneeded information or seem like I tried too hard) and thank you for reading!_

_Oh one more thing! __**Dedication **__goes to my best friends, who couldn't stop talking about Dystopian Futures and RoTG, gearing up my mind for this story._

_Next Chapter: __**Life after Death **_


	2. Changing Lands

**"I was looking for a breath of life, another touch of heavenly light but all the choirs in my head said no."**

* * *

Trisha's back hit the wall behind her, blood splattering her school uniform. She was scared, she was shocked, and she was confused. It was her, but not her, dead on the ground. The other girl wore Royal Blue, a town color from another City. The girl wasn't even supposed to be there.

Trisha blocked out the scared screams of parents, Mentors, and children. She closed her eyes, trying to collect herself, but her mind was jumbled up and pounding, just like waking up from sleeping. Then she did something she's never done.

She took the other girl's bag, placed the gun inside, and ran. She ran outside and into the empty streets of the City. She didn't stop, even when her legs started begging to stop, and when her lungs felt like they were going to burst. She didn't actually know where she was going; it was just the adrenaline and fear that told her to get away from the scene.

Trisha finally made it to the Gates. She stopped and panted, clutching the gates with her numb fingers. Her eyes drooped low, and she became silent. She could hear pained cries and the sound of sirens from afar. That would be Tooth, crying over the replica of her.

She didn't know who the girl was or why she came from another City but the other girl's actions caused her to do this. _'Or is it just me?'_

What was she doing? Stealing another girl's identity? Trisha didn't know at this point.

She began climbing the Gates, any rules or warnings stuck back in the corners of her mind. She knew there was a sickness hovering over the land. But for some reason, she didn't believe those warnings she and been told since birth. Trisha was running away, not matter what.

* * *

"Please! Everyone, calm down! We understand this is a moment of terror but please you must calm down!" The large burley man requested. His eyes were full of fear though, sweat beading down his face. The Mothers and Fathers cradled their children and the teens all clutched to each other with tears streaming down their cheeks.

Soldiers marched into the room, letting a few go to inspect the scene where the gunshot was heard. They lined the walls, stood by windows and doors examining everybody in the room though no one could tell. The Captain left the stage, bringing down a few children who hadn't been chosen yet and led them back to their families.

An Emerald Soldier emerged from the hallways, walking towards the Captain. The Captain turned his face towards the green Soldier. "Well what is it?" The Captain questioned in a whisper.

"We request your presence at the scene." The Soldier asked. The Captain nodded, following the Soldier back into the hallways. They turned right at a dark corridor, turning right again to find the body of a young teen.

"Oh my…" The Captain commented. Blood sprayed on the walls when the bullet ripped into her head, also covering the carpet. The only thing that left the Captain confused is where was the gun?

"Where is the weapon?" The Captain questioned.

"There was no weapon found, we assume the child's death was a murder." One Soldier spoke up. The Captain nodded towards the young Soldier as a thank you. He examined the Royal Blue the teen wore, and knitted his eyebrows in confusion. She was Royal Blue child from the City of Ruby, and she was in the Emerald City? The City of Ruby was far from Emerald, at least a sea ocean away!

"It appears she wears the City of Ruby's Royal Blue town's colors; but she is listed on as a Resident of Hessonite Town here in City of Emerald." A Solider told curiously, glancing between the Captain and his ComPad.

"I-I don't understand." The Captain breathed heavily. He didn't understand anything of the matter. The Gates blocked out any criminals and any guns hidden cabins were found, and always found. If a child of Emerald was living here, then how can she be a child of the City of Ruby?

"It's just a coincidence. Find the child's parents and report the murder." The Captain ordered. The Soldiers glanced at each before setting to work. They called for the medics and soon enough the ambulance was there.

The Captain quickly walked towards the parents standing at the door, with no child to hold. They were the only ones. He opened his mouth to speak but couldn't even stutter a word. The Mother nodded, understanding, shaking her head while the Father let tears roll down his face. Tooth, who was watching from afar, shook her head, her lips trembling. She ran over to the Captain grasping his arm.

"I want to see the body." Tooth demanded darkly.

"I'm sorry I can't-"

"No! I need to see her." Tooth exclaimed, careless that everyone was now staring at the strange woman who yelled for a child who wasn't her own. The Captain lost his breath, nodding at the woman's request. He beckoned her to follow him, leading her towards the doors where the gurney begun to roll away, carrying the dead body of the blonde girl.

"No! No! Trisha!" Tooth cried out, her cracking and raspy. The tears streamed down her face like rivers, and despair knotted up in her core. She didn't want to believe her Baby Tooth was gone, not the girl who brought color to children's lives. _Trisha isn't dead_; Tooth kept repeating her head over and over. She only sobbed more.

* * *

It was cold and it was dark. The only thing that brightened up the deserted land was the snow that layered the grounds, covering the black dirt. Cold winds were stronger outside the Gates, since the Gates were programed with an electric shield against weather and toxins-not human or animals though.

Trisha clutched the bag tightly, fear causing her body to shake. There was a loaded gun in her bag, and she didn't know if anything inside the bag could trigger it. She took shaky steps into the snow, her feet numbing quickly. It was only two inches deep and very cold to her, since she never experienced such cold weather other than the winds that passed into the City.

She tramped her way through, picking up one leg after the other. She examined the area, trying to find shelter of some sort. The only thing she could find was trees, which was gratefully only a few feet away. She could make it there in the nick of time.

Trisha stumbled into the trees, the atmosphere changing all of the sudden. Instead of cold, winter lands, the scene changed to a wonderful spring. Flowers of different colors-ranging from white to a bright magenta like Tooth's and her eyes- grew under the shades of frosted trees and light brown dirt was shaped into a road. It was colorful and comforting; it almost caused her to smile.

She continued on, not daring to disturb the wonderful scenery. The flowers and trees seemed to go on forever, until she met the end of the forest, where grey smoke covered the lands. She quirked an eyebrow; it was strange how the lands kept changing. From a glassy white wonderland to a colorful spring scene, it was confusing, though somehow she didn't mind one bit. It almost felt normal.

Trisha shook; _Normal, _she though. The Gated area was nothing more than a strange, curious land. It was wonderful and colorful and fun to play in if dressed right. That's what the Government was afraid of, that's what all twelve Gem Cities were afraid of: The strange lands. They wanted normal people and a normal lifestyle.

Somehow, those thoughts kept her going. She walked into the smoke, not daring to think of dangers she had been warned about. It was only smoke, nothing scary about it.

This time, the air became cold again. Though, it was comfortable, not too cold for her shake, but cold enough to give her goosebumps. The smoke began to clear the more she walked and she was surprised to find houses abandoned and clothes line holding colorful clothes. Toys were left outside the house, but were clean as if they were only left alone five minutes ago. She titled her head, curious and confused.

But she kept walking, and didn't stop for the next few hours.

* * *

Tooth sat outside of the Evlin's cabin, she sat on the rock where her Baby Tooth would sit and wait for the Hessonite Soldiers to come collect her to take to school. Her lips were still quivering, the despair and sadness in her core refused to leave her from earlier that day.

_'Trisha isn't dead. My little helper isn't dead.'_ Tooth told herself that since the death. She still refused at this point, despite the evidence, that she was dead. Trisha hadn't caused trouble, she wasn't a common target. The teen was too precious with the bright blonde hair and the smile that she only gave to her parents and Tooth, and the lovely colors her eyes were…

"Colors…" Tooth knitted her eyebrows together. Trisha wasn't wearing the baby blue uniform colors of the Academy; she was wearing a rich Royal Blue. Those colors were only permitted to the residents of the Royal Blue town in the City of Ruby.

"Th-That's not-"Tooth pressed her lips in a tight line. Confused as to why and how Trisha was dressed different. It was possible she just changed to look nice for the ceremony, but she was only allowed to wear the rock color Hessonite or baby blue.

"Toothiana?" A man asked; Tooth craned her neck to look up at the man. She could barely see him in the dark though. He had a strong accent, unfamiliar to her.

"Please, I need to speak with you." The man requested. Tooth raised her eyebrows to her hairline.

"Why should I trust you?" Tooth questioned. The man bent down to her level.

"It is about Baby Tooth." The man told her.

* * *

Trisha had settled down underneath a tree; she had tried to start and fire but only created a small flame. It was enough to help her read through the stuff the "other her" left behind. She set the gun carefully at her side, and then took out a wallet. She opened it up to find the picture of the girl who had killed herself; she found that the 'other she' lived alone in an apartment, a red-brunette rather than a blonde like herself, and wealthy.

"She's _very_ wealthy." Trisha commented. She read the ID card;

_Name: Chiles, Emilia _

_Age: 12 (BD: 7/1/25)_

_Gender: Female_

_Resident of City of Ruby (Royal Blue)_

_Mentor: Gothel_

"Twelve…why would she kill herself?" Trisha questioned. Emilia was younger than Trisha-well, almost the same girl-and had no cause to commit suicide.

_'People keep secrets all the time. Don't be surprised…'_the little voice commented in her head. Trisha jumped, and then shook her head. _Go away_, Trisha told the no-body voice. She put the gun and wallet back into the bag and lay down on the ground. The only noise that she could hear was the cackling of the fire, and the whistling of the wind. She was stiff, but tired. She closed her eyes and darkness consumed her for the rest of the night.

* * *

Song-**_Breath of Life: Florence +TheMachine_**

_Hello!_

_Thanks for all the views, it actually really means a lot to me. Even though not a lot of people are interested, I wrote out seven chapters already so, I'm not just gonna end it randomly because only 13 people read it. _

_Thanks my silent readers!_

_Next Chapter: **Killer Party**_


	3. Killer Party

**_"A Little Party Never Killed Nobody…"_**

* * *

Trisha had set out to leave before dawn. She didn't have a flashlight and only had the unusual bright moon and stars. The moon and stars never reached the City for some reason, but it was beautiful the way they shone like silver rather than white like when books told her.

Before she could even make it out of the forest she heard loud music blaring from a large cabin only a few strides away from her. She titled her head confused; she had never been to party before-unless you count her own birthdays before she turned thirteen and was considered too old-other than that, she had never been to a _real _party. What was even stranger about the situation is the fact that someone was having a party in the middle of nowhere. _'I guess the Mentors or the Government can catch them', _Trisha thought.

Trisha ran towards the large cabin, her eyes in awe and the music beating loud in her ears. She wondered if she could try to get in for shelter. The door opened immediately, and she came face to face with a blur haired teenager who must've been at least four years-if not more-older than her.

"Oi...! Ello," The man had a strange accent she had never heard before. He gathered Trisha in his arms and swept her into the house with warning. She became stiff, clutching the bag tightly.

"Clark's been waitin' for you," He said softly into her ear. He smiled at some of the guests as they walked by, and then turned back to the small blonde. He glanced at the bag in her hands and knitted his eyebrows together. "You've got blood ya, mate." He said worriedly.

"O-Oh yeah, no, I had to help this kid at the Academy because of something horrible he did. He was bleedin' buckets." Trisha replied, trying out an accent like his but ended up with something different.

"Good on you, mate." He smiled. She nodded back, unsure of what to do at the moment. She fixed the strap of her bag and eyed everybody in the cabin. All were older than her, holding drinks in their hand and wearing dresses she had never seen before. The girls either wore glimmering dresses of silver and gold or bright neon colors, the boys were slightly underdressed with shorts or t-shirts but some wore suit and tie attire.

"You're lookin' lost; Clark's got some clothes for you upstairs." The blue-haired boy pointed up the stairs to the red door. She nodded, pulling her bag in front of her to hide the blood stains. She escaped from his grasp and made no haste up the stairs. She stood in front of the red door and knocked.

"Come on in, mate!" The girl from inside yelled. Trisha opened the door delicately, peering in. She spotted the girl with dreads at her desk, her legs propped up on the armrests of the chair and her back resting against a pillow. She turned around, taking the breath out of Trisha again.

"Ello, Chiles, don't you look lovely in red and blue." Clark, she presumed, commented on seeing the badly hidden blood stains. She flushed a bright scarlet and set her bag down on the floor. Clark emerged from her seat and stood in front Trisha at least three inches taller because of the small heels she wore.

"You're a bit underdressed, love. But no worries I've got the remedy!" Clark exclaimed, she disappeared into a large closet, and then reemerged seconds later. She held a bright red dress, with gold heels and a curling iron. "Trust me; you'll be the best dressed girl here!" Trisha's eyes widened.

* * *

"Quinn, I'm good, I'm good." Trisha had let Quinn-an intelligent scientist replica of her- dress her and do her hair, while doing her makeup. She ended up looking like an eighteen-year-old rather than a thirteen-year-old.

"You are gorgeous!" Quinn fixed the glasses on the bridge of her nose and pulled a curl out of Trisha's face before stepping back, admiring her work.

"Thanks…mate." Trisha added the last part. Quinn's eyebrows furrowed, and she crossed her arms.

"What's the matter, love?" Quinn asked.

"Nothing, just- nervous that's all." Trisha smiled at Quinn who looked back at her kindly. She looked at the both of them in the closet door mirrors, smiling. Trisha fixed the knee-length dress and wiggled her toes in the comfortable little heels.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine. Just go at him and flirt, and then gain some info out of him." Quinn explained simply. Trisha's core knotted at the information given and turned towards Quinn.

"Yeah, yeah…I can do this!" _Might as well act the part, _Trisha thought. Quinn smiled even bigger at Trisha and clutched her arms.

"That's the spirit! Now go catch him before another girl snags him!" Quinn pushed her out of the room quickly; Trisha smiled at Quinn before she closed the door.

Trisha fiddled with the dress for a moment before walking down the stairs carefully. A few girls turned to look at her and rolled their eyes, a boy walked by winking at her. She shifted uncomfortably and stepped onto the tiled floor again. The blue-haired boy came around again, shocking her.

"Whoa there, girlie...I didn't mean to scare the wits out of ya." He smiled kindly at her. Another boy came up from behind him, smiling fondly at the shorter girl.

"Oh hey, Hue, didn't expect to see you here!" He hit Hue playfully on the back. Hue gave his greetings to the taller boy and turned towards Trisha. He pulled her in for a hug, chuckling in her. For some reason, she didn't mind it rather than earlier when she grew stiff in the blue-haired boy's arms.

"How you been Emilia?" The ginger asked. Trisha smiled up at him; she had to crane her neck all the way just to look him in the eye!

"Same old, same old… eating, breathing, I think it's called living." Trisha tried to joke, a slight blush rising to her cheeks again. Surprisingly both of the boys laughed, only causing her cheeks to grow darker.

"You shouldn't have laughed, that was a lame joke." Trisha laughed along with them. How could she fit in with them so easily? _Oh yeah, they think I'm the dead Emilia Chiles, _Trisha thought.

"Well, I gotta go, can't keep the ladies waitin'!" The tall boy waved, and then disappeared into the kitchen. Hue turned towards Trisha who smiled brightly at him.

"You know, you look beautiful right now?" He had an accent different from the blue-haired boy. She still couldn't identify any of them.

"Oh, right now?" Trisha joked. Hue laughed along Trisha, pulling her closer to him. She glanced up to see Quinn at the top of the stairs; she made crazy gestures towards the dance floor. Trisha nodded, unsure but hoping she would do it correctly.

"Let's dance." Trisha suggested, pulling the ginger towards the dance floor. Hue bit his lip and started dancing with Trisha, though not really knowing how to dance himself. Trisha laughed and held him at arm's length, trying not to get separated by the other bodies bumping the pair.

"What does Hubert stand for again, I'm afraid I've forgot." Trisha asked as Hue pulled her close to him and wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Hubert, M'dear. I might have to stop using 'Hue' if all my friends are going to forget my real name." Hue smiled, looking down at the blonde. His smile faltered, and his hand went to her cheek.

"Your eyes…" Hue commented. Trisha's stomach tightened; worried that she had given her real self away.

"T-They're…beautiful." Hue stuttered nervously. Trisha flushed a bright red, laughing slightly. She had completely forgotten herself in that moment.

"Remind of everything…your favorite color, animal, pie flavor…." Trisha and Hue laughed loudly.

Quinn leaned against the wall, relived. A loud crash from the window ruined the moment though. She whipped around, seeing the black figure emerge from the window…holding a gun. Quinn whipped out her own gun from underneath her silk robe and pointed it down before coming in eye contact with the man.

"Who're you!?" She exclaimed. The man said nothing but pointed the gun at her; she lifted her gun ready to shoot.

"Hey what's going-!?" The boy behind Quinn was shot, his blood splattering the walls. Screams erupted from the girls and boys down below, as his body slid across the tiles, leaving blood across the floor. Quinn looked away fearfully for a moment, and then regained the eye contact with the man.

"Nobody ruins a Clark party!" Quinn yelled, the fired her gun.

Trisha glanced up at the hallway, fearing for Quinn's life. Hue looked at the dead boy's body and started running. Trisha looked between the hallway and Hue, and then started running after the ginger.

"Where are you going?" She yelled over the screams. Hue turned towards her before leaving the house, and then winked. Trisha knitted her eyebrows together as he disappeared into the darkness.

Quinn fired the gun, sending at least three bullets into the man's chest, but it didn't harm him in any way. She furrowed her eyebrows and faced the gun down towards the ground. Before she could say anything, a woman jumped in through the window, kicking the man in the head.

"Run! Run!" The woman yelled at Quinn. Quinn nodded, running down the stairs in a flash. She was in front Trisha before she even knew what she was doing.

"We have to go! Run, Chiles run!" Quinn clasped Trisha wrist and pulled her out of the cabin. Before Trisha was fully out the door she grasped onto the blue-haired boys hand and pulled him out with them.

"What the hell is going on?" The tall boy exclaimed, towering over Quinn. Quinn pushed him back, strong enough to set him back.

"Don't blame it on me Bunnymund! I was only in my room the entire time someone must've followed Hubert or Emilia here!" Quinn shouted in a raspy voice. Another gunshot rang and more people ran out of the house and into the dark forest.

"No matter now Quinn, we have to run!" Trisha yelled.

"Where! Where Emilia?" Quinn exclaimed desperately.

"Anywhere just so long it's nowhere near here!" Trisha yelled and grabbed both of the teens, pulling them with her into the starless night.

* * *

_Thanks for getting me to 29 views! :)_

_Next Chapter: **I HAVEN'T THOUGHT UP TITLE YET BLAGH SORRY.**_


	4. Then there was the Fourth

Before dawn, Bunny, Quinn, and Trisha went searching for some kind of food that grew out in the middle of the spring forest. Trisha kept glancing between Bunny and Quinn nervously, hoping they wouldn't realize that she was an imposter. Though at this point, they wouldn't know until she said it.

Quinn threw her dreads over her shoulder and heaved a sigh. She placed her head in her hands, her stomach grumbling. "You okay, Quinn?" Bunny asked. Quinn shrugged while Bunny squatted down next to her on the ground. He delicately placed an arm around her for comfort. Quinn closed her eyes and placed her head on his shoulder, tired from last night's restless sleep.

Trisha examined the two for a moment before turning away to continue to look for edible food. She walked slowly into the misty darkness each land in between Cities, and raised her eyebrows to her hairline. The City of Pearl wasn't too far; only a couple of miles away.

"Bunny, Quinn!" Trisha called out. Quinn came out of the forest first, with Bunny hopping behind her. Their eyes instantly went to Pearl white City and their mouths fell open. Quinn walked up next to Trisha, a smile slowly masking her face.

"Oh my god, I-I've never been anywhere but the City of Ruby! T-This…this is incredible!" Quinn stuttered, amazed by the beauty of white city.

"I haven't been here since I was a little kid." Bunny said thoughtfully. Quinn glanced at him, something sad in her eyes. Trisha couldn't question it any farther before Bunny started running towards the Gates. Quinn started running after him, shock in her eyes.

"H-hey- oh my god…wait up!" Trisha yelled after them.

Before Bunny could even make it, someone jumped up from behind him, grabbing his large ears. Another stranger shot a rope around his ankles that automatically wrapped around his legs and hooked together with two ends of metal. The boy who jumped him cuffed him and jumped off of Bunny before he could fall down with him.

"Oi, who-ACK!" Bunny hit the ground on his bum. Quinn winced, faltering her run towards Bunny. Powder was thrown in her face, making her stop completely. She tripped and landed on her hands, scraping them. The girl threw another automatic rope around Quinn, causing Quinn's hands to bind together.

Trisha was still hidden behind the trees, shaded by the darkness. She glanced around frantically, looking for some sort of weapon. The boy came up from behind her, as silent as falling snow, and wrapped a gag around Trisha's mouth. Trisha whipped around, the gag moving to her neck almost choking her. The boy's eyes widened as her bright magenta eyes came in contact with his.

"Mels?" He asked. Trisha knitted her eyebrows together in confusion.

"Jackson!" The girl in black yelled. Trisha and Jack turned their heads towards the red-head…who looked exactly like Trisha and Quinn.

"Oh-what….who the hell are you!?" Jackson yelled. Quinn and Trisha groaned.

"Not another!" Bunny yelled.

* * *

Trisha found it extremely difficult to focus on Jackson talking when Melantha's wings kept fluttering.

She didn't even realize Melantha had wings in the first place, or even how it was possible. It fuzzed her mind, the way it shone is the fire light and how they moved more like a hummingbird's than a fae's would. She shifted uncomfortably on the log she sat on and took a sip of the drink Jackson gave her.

"Erm-Emilia I think you just drank some JD." Quinn told Trisha delicately. Trisha raised her eyebrows, curious.

"Jack Daniels." Bunny told her. Trisha's eyes widened as she swallowed another sip. Bunny and Quinn glanced at Jackson with worried looks on their faces. Jackson shrugged, drinking a bit himself. Melantha slapped his arm and nodded her head towards the group across from them.

"Sorry I gave your friend alcohol." Jackson said in a dead pan voice. Quinn rolled her eyes and Bunny took the bottle away from Trisha.

"Hey!" Trisha exclaimed. Jackson cracked a tiny smile, though noticed by Bunny.

"You ain't getting hooked, and you stop smiling Frostbite!" Bunny yelled, pointing his index finger both at Trisha and Jackson. Quinn sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Just let her do it, it's been a stressful time for us." Quinn fought back. Bunny looked at Quinn as if she had gone mad, but gave the bottle back Trisha anyways. Trisha glanced at Quinn, who opened her tired eyes back open. Jack looked away for a moment, muttering "Cottontail" under his breath.

"So, Jackson and Melantha, why'd you try to attack us back there?" Quinn questioned. Jackson threw some more wood into the fire pit and crossed his arms, leaning against the concrete walls of the warehouse.

"We were trying to steal some money out of your pockets." Melantha said sarcastically. She moved her bangs out of her face and finished her bottle of JD. Bunny glanced between the bottle and Melantha, raising an eyebrow as to how she drunk it so quickly.

"Will you stop it?" Melantha hissed. Bunny raised his hands up, and it almost looked like his ears bent back with him. Trisha looked at Melantha, her eyebrows furrowed.

"You're thieves?" Trisha matched Melantha's accent.

"You're British too?" Melantha asked.

"U-Um…yeah." Trisha answered.

"Great, I'm not the only one with a weird accent from the old days." Melantha sounded relived but frustrated at the same time. Jackson turned towards Melantha his face calm.

"You do not have a weird accent-"

"Yes I do just listen-"

"Mels I don't think-"

"No really it sounds like-"

"Mels I don't have time-"

"Time for crap yes I've heard it before-"

"Mels-!"

"Jack-!"

"WILL YOU TWO JUST SHUT YOUR BLUBBER MOUTHS?" Bunny yelled, stepping in front of them. He was hovering over the flame and able to almost reach Jackson and Melantha without burning his clothes. Jackson and Melantha looked away from each other, crossing their arms like children.

"Are you thieves?" Quinn asked seriously. Jackson sighed and nodded his head, rubbing his forehead with his hand.

"Jackson the thief?" Trisha questioned. Melantha looked at the other girl and threw her arms in the air dramatically.

"Will you stop that-?"

"Stop what I'm not-"

"Yes you are-"  
"Not I'm not-"

"What do you not get by shutting your gabbers?" Bunny asked, irritated. Quinn and Trish turned towards Bunny, both mouthing 'gabbers?'

"Shut up." Bunny hissed at both of them.

Before anybody could say any more, a loud banging came from the doors of the warehouse. Jack and Melantha nodded towards the back of the warehouse, running ahead of everybody. Trisha and Bunny followed the two to the back, while Quinn stayed behind. She picked up two guns and a knife, placing one gun in the holster strapped around her leg and hid it behind her robe. She started running towards the small exit built into the ground. She raised her eyebrows, impressed and quickly slipped in with the rest of the group.

"Halt-!" The Soldier yelled, and the door closed. Bunny and Trisha were up ahead, running as fast as they could. Quinn quickly caught up to them, throwing the knife to Bunny and giving the gun to Trisha.

"The guns are loaded, right?" Quinn yelled back at Jack who raised his gun at the Soldiers slipping into the dim-lighted hallways. He shot a bullet at the wall; it bounced and ripped a gash on the side of a woman neck and hit a man in the arm.

"Answer your question?" Jack called back. Quinn shrugged and nodded at Bunny to move ahead with Melantha. Trisha glanced at Quinn, and then slid slightly at a sharp corridor.

"I don't remember if we've done this before." Trisha scrunched up her face as if she was trying to remember. Quinn laughed and shook her head.

"You may have, I'm not one to work out in the fields." Quinn told Trisha with a smile. Trisha found herself smiling back. _You're not her friend; YOU'RE AN IMPOSTER…'not right now.' _Trisha shook her head, shaking the ridiculous argument in her head and ran up a flight of stairs.

"Duck!" Trisha warned. Both girls jumped under a pipe and continued running after another sharp turn. Trisha turned to see Jack fighting off a Soldier cladded in pure white. She raised her gun, squinting and took a chance shot. Thankfully, it hit the Soldier's shoulder.

"I didn't need your help Blondie!" Jack yelled, running towards the two look-a-likes on the balls of his feet. The three ducked under another low pipe, and ran down a flight of stairs.

"You're welcome you mother-"A gun shot rang through the halls, and Quinn was hit in the arm. She hissed, gritting her teeth and clutched her bleeding arm. Jack looked behind him and saw two visible Soldiers running after them. Before Jack could shoot, his knife flew by his ear and hit one of the Soldier's ears, then flew right back into Bunny's grasp.

"Bloody-It's a boomerang knife!" Bunny yelled with glee. Jack rolled his eyes, frustrated he couldn't get his own shot. Trisha found herself scared…she never really realized how dangerous her actions were and what she was doing. She was holding a gun and pretending she knew how to use it!

For a moment, she wished she didn't run, that she had never met these crazy people with wings and forgotten about the girl with the same face and drank the alcohol….she wanted to be back home, and she wanted to celebrate her birthday that passed; not run from Pearl City Soldiers and break laws with some fugitives who lived in a warehouse or a cabin in the woods!

A bullet whizzed past her ear, awakening her from her thoughts.

"Pay attention!" Quinn yelled worriedly. They finally made it to the next door, which opened without warning. Melantha and Bunny hopped out first, with her zooming out like a bee and him hopping like what he was named for! Trisha laughed, and she started laughing until it hurt.

Jack ran ahead of Quinn and Trisha flying up with the wind to meet the two. "Are you alright?" He asked Melantha and Bunny. Bunny panted and choked out a breath, then punched Jack in the face.

"What was that for!?" Jack yelled.

"…For nearly getting us captured by Pearl City Soldiers." Bunny looked down at Jack.

Quinn looked behind at the Soldiers and closed the exit door. She grabbed Trisha's arm and screamed so that Bunny and Jack would follow her. Both of the boys and Melantha quickly started running again.

"Nyet, nyet! Catch them!" A woman yelled at the Soldiers to run after them. Jack closed his eyes, ignoring the voices and letting his mind clear. Snow fell from the sky, building up snow quickly around the Soldiers.

"Wind, take us home!" Jack yelled, and Melantha smirked. The wind picked up and lifted the group up in the air and to the other side of the Gates. Quinn, Bunny, and Trisha stumbled as they landed on the ground, surprised by the sudden sweep.

"What was that?" Quinn yelled at Jack. Jack looked behind them and winked with a sly smirk etched on his lips. Bunny glared at him and started running after him. Quinn looked behind her, to see a ComPad pulled out and about to take a photo of her. Trisha tugged on Quinn's arm, beginning to run.

"Come on!" Trisha exclaimed, pulling Quinn in the dark shades of the forest.

The Soldier snapped a picture of the two girls before they disappeared. He resized the photo so the picture focused on the blonde girl with dreads. He gave the ComPad to the woman, pointing towards the girl.

"She is one of the fugitives. She is associated with thieves named GUARDIANs." The Soldier gave the info he could. The woman nodded, plugging in a hard drive stick to upload the picture.

"Call the Governors." The woman demanded. "This girl is supposed to be dead!"

* * *

"How did you control the wind back there?" Bunny questioned Jack. Melantha was off to the side with Trisha, watching as Bunny and Quinn interrogated the thief. Melantha sighed and rubbed her head.

"Stupid heroics…" Melantha commented. Trisha placed a hand delicately on Melantha's shoulder, biting her lip. Melantha glanced at the hand then directed her attention back at Jack.

"Mine-and Melantha's-DNA was biologically-"

"Genetically-"

"Melantha!" Jack hissed. Melantha fell back against the tree, crossing her arms.

"-enhanced at birth. As an effect, I didn't earn any "superhero" abilities or any of that kind of crap but, I, instead got the power to control winter...partially." Jack added in the last part.

"What he means is that has the supernatural ability to control a type of weather. He can control snow, and make friends with the winds." Melantha smirked at the last sentence. Jack made a face at her as she sat down next to him on a log.

"You grew wings instead of gaining any weather or body type abilities?" Quinn questioned, clearly interested in on how they got their abilities from the experiment.

"Well mine is technically body type ability. I was injected with hummingbird's blood and carefully experimented with different types of acids to make my body compatible with the transition of becoming a human-bird like creature." Melantha explained.

"Oh so your more like a bird than a fae?" Quinn asked.

"I was supposed to be, but someone mixed a firefly's DNA sample with the hummingbird's blood, creating the process to go faster but me gaining fairy-like wings instead. I'm a bird but my wings look like a fairy's." Melantha grinned, her bright magenta eyes gleaming.

"How is that-?"

"Possible?" Melantha and Jack asked in unison.

"What I want to know it who was the people did the experimenting and the person that came up with the idea to turn you guys into-what you are?" Trisha questioned.

"That's, well…confidential." Melantha uttered in a small voice.

"We really need your help. It might help us," Trisha pointed at Melantha, Quinn and herself. "…Somewhere."

Jack glanced at Melantha and shrugged and blinked five times. Trisha scrunched her eyebrows together, but before she could ask Jack anything, Melantha began talking.

"We used to live in a base, inside the Pearl City…there was a secret society named GUARDIAN and we were chosen children to be a part of it." Melantha began.

"We lived and trained at the base until we were six; that's when we were attacked by Soldiers or hit men of somebody." Jack jumped in.

"W-Wait, you've been training to a part of this society since you were six-?"  
"Let them finish, Emilia." Quinn told her quietly. Trisha leaned against the tree again, and gestured them to continue on.

"We fleeted, and so did the other trainees but we were left in the City of Pearl before any of the Guardians could come back for us. So, we took to the streets while other trainees went for other cites or the church, and were never heard from again. In that time while we were gone, Mels and I learned how to cope on our own out on the streets-"

"-From who?" Quinn questioned, interrupting Jack.

"Hypocrite." Trisha breathed. Quinn glared at Trisha then turned back to face Jack and Melantha.

"-And were trained by criminals-"

"-What!?" Bunny hollered.

"-Will you lot just shut up!" Melantha yelled, flapping her wings to make a buzzing sound. Everyone shut up; Melantha's wings wrapped themselves up behind her back, hidden from sight.

"Anyways, yes, we were trained by actual criminals and left to fend ourselves by the time we were eight. We had enough info to keep ourselves alive, so it's been thieving for us for a while now." Jack shrugged.

"You make all of this seem like it's no big deal!" Quinn exclaimed.

"It's my life, snowflake, so yeah it's pretty normal for me." Jack smirked. Melantha rolled her eyes.

"Okay let me summarize, hm, you have been experimented on and given-er, supernatural abilities, and trained to grow as a Guardian since forever, right? Then you were attacked by hit men when you were six and fled to the streets while other trainees left for the church or other Cities. Some criminals decided to train you until you were eight, and the streets have been home sweet home since then?" Quinn summarized.

"Exactly." Jack pointed at her.

Quinn played with the bandage around her arm, and bit her lip hard. It was a lot of information to take it. She didn't even see how the-Jack and Melantha! They weren't even supposed to be possible beings! Wings and controlling winter, secret societies and hit men…She really needed to get some aspirin.

* * *

The Captain grumbled slightly under his breath, scratching his half shaven face. He clutched some papers under his arm and held the hard drive inside in his jacket's pocket. He had nearly gotten caught for taking the hard drive from the Governor's Meeting, just barely got away with the papers and hard drive.

He entered his office, two guards following him. The woman from the City of Pearl stood off to the side with a trusted Pearl Soldier. He slipped into his chair and opened up all the files he had been given and the ones he had stolen. His eyes skimmed over the words, picking up names -_Evlin, Clark, Chiles,_ _Makoto…_-all of them who lived with the same face but completely different.

"Two of the girls are supposed to be dead." The Pearl City Soldier spoke up. She pointed to a photo of a girl with blue hair. "This is a 19-year-old from the City of Opal, found dead in a shooting about a month ago…this girl," The Soldier pointed a photo of the girl listed as _Evlin _"Is a citizen of your City, and found dead not too long ago." The woman told the Captain.

"Yes, yes…but…they are more than four girls with the same face! None of them are of relation-there might be as well ten in each City!" The Captain exclaimed.

"But there is not, only the few listed actually originate from a Gem Town of a City." The woman sighed.

"Some are from outside the Gates, A-And not diseased with the epidemic?" The Captain questioned, his face scrunching up. The Soldier nodded.

"This is all too-it's ridiculous! Whoever is in charge of placing these girls in all of the Cities I will make sure they are executed-!"

"Captain!" The Pearl City man-Soldier yelled. The glass window broke, sending in a ticking bomb.

"Everyone out now-!" Before they could escape, the bomb denoted, sending the Emerald City House into flames, and any trace of a conspiracy gone.

* * *

Song of the Chapter-**_ Two Fingers - Fools Rhythm _**

_Thanks for 53 views and 1 review! (AngelXJackFrost? I reply to your review soon)_

_I hope you enjoyed this chapter! And sorry for horrible music choice, I stopped after writing chapter 6 or 7. *shrugs*_

**_Next Chapter: When the Truth Comes out_**


	5. When the Truth Comes Out

**_"Tears stream down your face...And I will try to Fix You."_**

* * *

**_Two Weeks Later_**

* * *

Maksima sat down comfortably in the plush chair, her legs brought up to her chin. She breathed out, her breath cold in the air. The man smiled, placing a pale hand on her cheek. She leaned in, closing her eyes.

"You are alive, you are real." He cooed. He handed Maksima a knife and placed her bright blonde hair to one side. She opened her tired eyes, taking the knife and smiling up at the man. "Find Evlin, the fake." He pressed down on her cheek hard, she nodded obediently.

Maksima left in a flash, untouched by all the men in black. The man hidden by darkness sat back down in his chair, looking out the large glass window to see the teen run into forest. He leaned back, knowing that Maksima would not fail him.

* * *

"We know you're not Emilia." Quinn told Trisha.

Jack and Melantha slept soundly by each other. Bunny and Quinn hovered over Trisha who cowered away. She felt all blood rush out of her, her heart dropping into her stomach. She clutched to the tree, but fell onto the ground.

"We are not going to hurt you!" Bunny exclaimed. Quinn jabbed him in the stomach with her elbow, nodding over to Jack who shifted onto his side in his sleep.

"I-I'm…oh god I'm really-"  
"We just need you to explain, calmly." Quinn told the frightened fourteen-year-old. Trisha calmed her breathing, picking herself off the ground and dusting herself off.

"My name is Trisha Evlin, fourteen, and why the hell did a girl look like me kill herself in front of me?" Trisha bumbled. Quinn's eyes widened and Bunny shook his head.

"E-Emilia killed herself?" Quinn choked. Trisha, on instinct, placed a hand on Quinn's shoulder. Quinn pushed the hand away, stumbling to the ground, pinching the bridge of her nose. Trisha leaned against the tree, her stomach knotting up at the distress of Quinn. Bunny sat down next to Quinn, not daring to touch the girl.

"W-Why? H-How?" Quinn asked Trisha. Trisha crossed her arms and let out a heavy breath.

"Emilia shot herself with the gun she had in her bag. It was my Mentor Ceremony and I wandered off to see this sort of light on the wall. I found her and she killed herself ten seconds later. I ran off with the bag and gun from the adrenaline and fear of seeing someone who looked exactly me kill herself." Trisha explained.

"Emilia wouldn't do that. Emilia wouldn't kill herself…" Quinn said in disbelief.

"Some people keep secrets, and they can't hold it and do something drastic." Trisha didn't know what she was saying; she just let the words flow from her mouth. Quinn looked up at the other girl and choked again, Trisha looked like Emilia, acted like Emilia, and even got the British accent right. But now, she was nothing but a stranger with a name she didn't want to hear.

Quinn became silent, placing her head in her knees, trying to file out her thoughts. Trisha slid down to the ground, her sight blurring. _I'm crying…,_ Trisha thought. She wiped the tears away and hugged herself. She didn't want to hurt Quinn; she didn't want to hurt anybody.

"Clones." Quinn spoke up, pulling her glasses from the tip of nose back to her eyes. Trisha's eyes widened at the word, and shot back from shock.

"Nobody has tried that in over seventy years." Trisha said in disbelief. Quinn shook her head.

"If that were true, how would I be here? Melantha…Emilia?" Quinn asked.

"So I-we're- we are defiantly-"  
"Genetically identical; someone cloned us when we were born. They took the DNA of you or I, and made replicas. We're trying to figure out why and how so that this mystery can be solved." Quinn explained.

Trisha felt as she did the same day Emilia killed herself: Cold, numb, and as if toxins had infected her whole body. She breathed heavily, her heart wanting to burst from her stomach.

"I need answers." Quinn and Trisha said unison. The girls looked each other in the eye, glaring for a moment before retreating their hold.

"We need to go to the City of Ruby." Quinn ordered. Trisha looked at Quinn as if she was crazy.

"The City of Ruby is a lush City, but has a horrible Militia. They can't keep track of all their citizens, so we'll pretend we're triplets." Quinn planned, glancing at Melantha for a moment.

"It's crazy, triplets are almost impossible-"

"In _your _City…Trisha. Not any others that you know of." Quinn spat. Trisha glared at Quinn and fiddled with the seams of her ruined dress.

"We'll search the house for clues or notes from Emilia that could answer this mess." Quinn told Bunny and Trisha. She got up from the ground and went over to her spot on the grass, resting her head on her arms, closing her eyes.

"Hey, Trisha is it? Bunny asked, hopping over towards Trisha.

"Some call me Baby Tooth." Trisha shrugged. Bunny chuckled under his breath.

"Quinn and Emilia were the first girls to find each other. They we're like sisters, clung onto each like a lifeline. Emilia killing herself is mind-wrenching for her." Bunny told Trisha.

"She's acting like a rude control-freak." Trisha hissed. Bunny shook his head, his blue hair rustling above green eyes.

"Quinn's done much worse…she's actually handlin' it pretty well." Bunny smirked down at Trisha. Trisha laughed herself, cracking a smile.

"Why aren't you…freaking out and treating me like dirt? How did you guys find out anyways?" Trisha questioned, and then faked yawned.

"First thing next morning, okay?" Bunny told her. Trisha nodded, yawning again and tears blurring her eyes. She crawled over towards the grass and rested her head, not sleeping that night at all.

* * *

Hubert fixed his jacket and flipped the hood over his ginger curls. He walked down the street, avoiding the expensive-looking men and women who either gave them an apologizing look or snarl. He glanced at the buildings every few minutes, the find his sister jumping across and looking for him. He ignored the angry voices of women and man from afar, and the smell of a burning fire was lost to him.

"FIND HIM! I WANT HIM DEAD!" A man yelled into the crowds. The rain started dripping onto his eyelids, and then he started running.

Hubert ran into an alleyway, avoiding any opening with flames of people with guns. He took out his own gun, facing it towards the ground and placing his finger across the trigger hold. He ran swiftly from corner to corner, glancing back every few minutes. He turned around when someone –a girl, he couldn't be sure-ran head-in into his chest.

"Ack-!" Hubert blubbered and fell to the ground. He rubbed his head, peeking an eye at the girl, and then his eyes widened.

"Emilia?" He asked. Quinn and Trisha looked at him at the sound of his voice. Trisha swallowed hard and shook her head, helping him from the ground.

"My name's Trisha…Emilia's been dead for two weeks, two or three days." Trisha told Hubert, wiping some of the mud off her skirt. He scrunched up his eyebrows, knowing before she spoke.

"That was you at the party?" He asked tenderly. Trisha nodded, fixing the holster around her leg to hide the gun she had.

"Now, if you excuse us, we have to get to Emilia's house." Trisha went straight past him. Quinn and Melantha marched right after Trisha, while Jack and Bunny grabbed Hubert by the collar and dragged him with them.

"Once we exit Emilia's house should be right in front of us." Quinn told Trisha. Trisha nodded, pushing the strands of her hair out of her face. _I should really cut my hair; _Trisha shook her head, focusing on getting answers from the house.

Hubert looked behind him, and saw that his sister had secretly joined the group of clones and boys. She pushed the wild red curls from her face and winked at him. He gave a small nod, turning his head back towards the people in front of him.

"There it is." Trisha said, emerging from the alley and into the rain. Quinn grumbled something under her breath that wasn't English, and grasped Trisha's arm. She pulled the girl all the way towards the house, the rest of the group following behind.

Quinn took out a blank card; she slid it into the vertical between the door and doorframe, sliding it down until it to the lock. She bent the card until she reached the doorknob and the card slid in deeper. Quinn leaned against the door until it popped open.

"Alright let's go in." Quinn said and ran inside quickly. Trisha's eyes were wide and curious as to how Quinn could've done that.

The whole group rushed inside, one by one, after Quinn. The apartment was lush, decorated nicely, and the smell was fresh. No mud or toxic smelling chemicals…everything was completely fine. Trisha walked into Emilia's bedroom, clothes laid out on the bed with color cards on them. She furrowed her eyebrows, picking up a yellow card with the letters _BT _written in black ink.

Most of the clothes consisted of black and grey, with jeans or leggings; Trisha turned around to find shoes-mostly boots or converse-all in different sizes. She was about to pick some up when Bunny pulled her out of the room and into the island at the kitchen.

"It says _Baby Tooth_." Bunny told Trisha worriedly. Trisha picked up the card; written in black ink was her nickname. Quinn looked at the two, confused and…jealous? Trisha shook her head at Quinn, moving from Bunny's grasp.

"That's my nickname." Trisha told Quinn quietly. Quinn raised an eyebrow, snatching the note away from her.

"I considered the thought that Emilia knew you somehow…but if she did she would've told us about another clone." Quinn pushed her glasses back.

"How many clones are you aware of?" Trisha asked quietly. Quinn glanced at her, swallowing the lump in her throat and placing the note back on the counter.

"There are more than twelve." Quinn answered.

"More than twelve?!" Trisha shouted.

Merida entered the kitchen quickly, surprising all of them. Jack, Melantha, and Hubert followed quickly after, surrounding everybody at the island. Quinn turned back to Trisha with a stern look on her face.

"There have been more than twelve look-a-likes spotted from every City." Quinn deliberately avoided the word 'clones'. Trisha's eyes widened, and turned her back on everybody and walked into the bedroom.

"I think she left some clothes for us…she knew we'd be here." Trisha shouted at Melantha and Quinn. The two came in first, looking at the clothes on the bed and the shoes on the draws. Melantha picked up the boots and shrugged, while Quinn took the clothes immediately.

"I'm going to change out of this robe." Quinn said quietly, trying to joke but failed. Trisha watched as Quinn left for the bathroom. Melantha took the coat and jeans, walking up behind Trisha.

"She's hurting hard. You need to be there for her." Melantha told her, her voice soft and sincere and not dripping with sarcasm. Trisha's face fell, her head drooping low. She heaved a sigh, and then turned towards Jack and Bunny in the doorway.

"Get me a knife or scissors-please." Trisha asked calmly.

"Whoa-er, for what?" Bunny asked. Trisha grumbled and shook her head.

"I just need it." Trisha demanded. Jack and Bunny raised their heads up to their head and left to find her scissors. Melantha's eyebrows knitted together, and she crossed her arms.

"What are you doing?" Melantha hissed. Trisha smirked at her attitude and picked up her clothes and converse.

"It's time to look a little less Emilia, and a little more Trisha." Trisha smiled painfully at Melantha.

* * *

Trisha entered the bathroom as Quinn left quickly. She locked the door and started stripping of the dirty dress, and unstrapped the holster around her leg. She slipped the pants on-then strapped the holster around her thigh- leaving herself in her bra and jeans. She took the scissors Jack had given her and pulled her hair to one side. She started cutting all the crimped hair off, letting the strands fall onto the tiled counter. She kept cutting her hair until there was nothing left but the curled pieces behind her ears.

Trisha brushed off the hair on her shoulder and swiped the rest into the trash can. She slipped on the green shirt, then the black jacket. She put on the converse and tied them up. She wiped the dirt off her face with a towel, and finally looked herself in the mirror.

"I am not Emilia, I am Trisha." _I am not a clone, _the voice echoed in different words. Trisha didn't shake her head to get rid of the voice, but instead left the bathroom.

Melantha had used the closet-changing into a black coat, boots and jeans-to change. Her eyes widened at the sight of Trisha and took the scissors away. Everybody became silent, and Quinn just stared her bewildered.

"Let's go." Quinn ordered. Everyone started towards the door, leaving Hubert and Trisha behind. Hubert looked at Trisha, and then interlocked his hand with hers.

"I think it looks c-cute." Hubert stuttered, a blush rising to his cheeks. Trisha gave a grin, turning his cheeks towards hers and kissed it.

"Thanks, Hue. For being a good friend even in this mess." She smiled. His cheeks grew hotter and she tried to stifle her laughter.

A banging came from the door, sending everybody back to the living room. Merida pulled out an arrow and Jack loaded his gun. Trisha's hand left Hubert's and went to the gun in her holster.

"OPEN THE DOOR. WE KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE!" The Soldier yelled form the other side of the door.

"Go! Run!" Merida and Jack yelled at the group. Everybody ran towards the windows, opening them and jumping down into the bushes. Quinn and Bunny started climbing the Gates, and then started running towards the forest. After Trisha and Hubert jumped over the Gate, Jack and Merida had flown out the window with the wind. A gunshot rang, sending the two down on the ground.

"Merida!" Hubert yelled.

"N-No, Hubert! Run, run now!" Merida yelled at her little brother as Jack and she were being dragged away. One of the men nodded towards Trisha and Hubert, sending one off after them. Trisha pulled Hubert into the forest, looking back at Merida who became a small dot in the distance. Hubert started crying, and couldn't stop. Trisha stopped, shaking slightly, and grabbed Hubert's shoulders.

"Hubert, Hubert, you've got to stop crying." Trisha told him worriedly. He sucked in a deep breath and looked down at the short-haired girl.

"I have to go back for her Trisha." Hubert chattered.

"Please-innocent people have died because of us and I-we don't want to lose another, especially not you Hue." Trisha begged. Hubert shook his head, wiping the tears furiously from his face and left behind red marks. Trisha swallowed hard, and hugged him.

"Good luck." Trisha said, then let go of him.

"You, better run too." Hubert pointed towards Quinn, Melantha, and Bunny up ahead. Trisha nodded and started running towards the three while Hubert went off in the opposite direction. Trisha ran faster and faster, until she caught up with the three and was out of breath.

"H-He went back… f-for Merida and Jack." Trisha coughed. She felt tears stream down her face and she starting hacking.

Melantha looked back behind the trees where Emilia's house was, tears refusing to leave her eyes. Jack was gone, possibly dead. Her best friend and fellow trainee, was gone.

"We lost another one. Another innocent." Trisha cried. Quinn watched as the girl broke down, clutching at the air. Quinn shook her head, tears pricking her own eyes. She help Trisha try to stand up taller, and then pulled her in for a hug. Trisha sobbed into her shoulder, crying about how everything had changed so quickly and that she was so sorry that Emilia died, Hubert was gone and so was Jack, and kept blubbering until there were no more words left to be said.

Maksima watched from the bushes, twisting the knife by the handle in her hand, she breathed heavily before leaving whispering, "_Nyet! Not angel, not angel…"_

* * *

Song-**_ Coldplay - Fix You _**

_…wHY?_

_I lost a lot of inspiration for this chapter. But I think it's a bit okay even though I had to redo it over five times._

**_Next Chapter: NO TITLE YET._**


	6. Afraid of the Dark

Jack swung his legs from the cage, his eyes glazing over the cuts and bruises from being dragged into the unknown place. Merida and Hubert had their own cages next to him; Merida slept soundly while Hubert threw the rocks in his cage somewhere towards the ground. The chain on his cage started rattling, and he was lowered to the ground, where he was greeted by the men dressed in black. They took out the master key, opened up his cage, and pulled him out harshly. They pulled his arms behind him and tied his wrists together with rope that was harsh against his skin

They half dragged, half walked him to the office. They opened the door and threw Jack into the room, slamming the door, leaving Jack in the dark.

Rich laughter erupted from the dark, causing Jack to lift his head. He couldn't see anything in the barely lit room, and squinted his eyes. The man made a little humming noise and rolled the blinds open, letting the light of the City into the room.

"I will make this quick," The man said, he slid a ComPad towards Jack, showing him the picture of Quinn from the hard drive. Jack furrowed his eyebrows and shrugged. The man laughed again and took the ComPad back.

"You know where she is, my men saw you with her, and two others." He chuckled. Jack thought of the three girls and his stomach tightened. _If he kills me, damn it, they would be safe, _Jack thought. He kept his mouth closed, looking up at the darkness that surrounded him.

"I'll only keep you here until you cooperate." Jack still kept silent and kept his face from any emotions. The man became outraged, yelling and clawing at his desk, and then threw a candle across the room, burning Jack's right cheek. Jack cried out, unable to throw his hand to his cheek due to the fact that the men had tied him up.

"Bring the girl in." The man ordered. The door opened, bringing in tired looking Merida. She spotted his cheek and her eyes widened. Jack was dragged out of the room, and the door shut.

* * *

The next day, Trisha, Bunny, Quinn, and Melantha snuck back into the City of Ruby, back to Emilia's apartment.

Trisha read the two worded note with her nickname on it and sighed. She rubbed her face, and then ran a hand throw the short curls. Crying didn't, or ever will, help bring back the dead. Quinn sat next to her on the island, bringing a can of Diet Coke with her. She put it in front of Trisha and took a sip of her own.

"They sell these here?" Trisha asked. Quinn nodded, nudging Trisha to drink it. Melantha joined the two girls and took a Diet Coke of her own.

"I'm so-"

"Enough with the apologies, we understand that you feel obligated to apologize because you let somebody you knew, and somebody good go. But he had to do it, Trisha. We do drastic things to save what we love." Quinn told Trisha.

"I…I guess you're right." Trisha breathed. Melantha wrapped an arm her, a quick side hug, then let her arm fall to her side. It became silent, so silent that the ticking of the clock could be heard.

"Merida and Hubert were a part of the GUARDIANs Society." Melantha told them quietly. Quinn and Trisha looked at her in shock.

"They were?" The two girls said in unison. Melantha nodded, taking a sip of her drink and shifted towards them to face them.

"They were searching for trainees, like Jack and me, something about creating a team that would stop…I-I think it was about stopping the group of people who cloned us." Melantha uttered. Quinn raised her eyebrows to her hairline while Trisha's eyes grew as wide as the moon.

"T-They might've known who used us as an experiment?" Trisha stuttered. Melantha nodded.

"Bloody he-!" A crash from a window interrupted her, and a smoke bomb went off. Everybody started coughing and fell to the ground.

"That's not smoke it's-it-it's a sleep-"Quinn couldn't finish her sentence before she was stuffed into a sack.

* * *

"The Governor, two Pearl City Soldiers, and a whole Militia were killed in a bombing." The City of Pearl Governor announced. Everyone was silent, dark bags under their eyes from restless night's sleep.

"Do you suppose it was the fugitives? Do you think they bombed the Emerald House so that he didn't know about the group of criminals?" A man asked.

"He could very well be the first of twelve Governors-"

"No, we will not let that happen." The Pearl Governor hissed. Everyone closed their mouths, waiting for her to talk. "I propose that we send our finest Soldiers to investigate. Interrogate citizens from Cities-"

"There would be an outburst! My City is having enough trouble; we do not need Soldiers at every turn-!"

"Governor Ruby I suggest you sit down and listen!" The Pearl Governor yelled. The Ruby Governor was seated again, and nodded for her to continue.

"We'll send Soldiers to each City; look for evidence of any Heist including the Citizens. We're doing this for protection. We do not need the War of The Wicked to rise again." The Pearl Governor spoke. Everyone nodded, not wanting to remember the terrible, bloody War.

"It is agreed?" The Pearl Governor questioned.

"Agreed." There was a tremble in all voices. The Pearl Governor smiled, sitting back in her chair pleased.

* * *

Trisha opened her eyes, feeling groggy and tired. She blinked a few times, clearing the blur in her eyes and lifted her magenta eyes to find the same staring down at her.

"Tooth!" She exclaimed, lifting herself off the pillow.

"Baby Tooth!" Tooth smiled, bringing the younger girl in her arms immediately. Trisha buried her head into Tooth's shoulder, feeling a sense of home brought back to her and hugged the colorful-haired women even tighter.

"I missed you." Tooth told Trisha as she let go.

"You do not know how rough it's been." Trisha said quietly.

"It was wrong to run away." Tooth told her, sitting on the bed. Trisha knitted her eyebrows together, leaning in closer.

"How do you know?" Trisha questioned. Tooth looked down, pushing a few strands of the blonde piece of her hair behind her ear. She let out a sigh then looked back at Trisha.

"The night, after Emilia's death, a man came and recruited me to be a part of the GUARDIANs Society." Tooth told Trisha. Trisha's eyes widened.

"Y-You're a Guardian now?" Trisha stuttered. Tooth smiled, shaking her head.

"I'm training, not much though; we've been trying to track you and your friends and haven't had a lot of time to do training." Tooth told the younger girl.

"Is the GUARDIANs Society the ones who clone-"

"Oh no, no, no! When Melantha went missing ten years ago, they commenced a search party for all the 'Believers', as North calls the trainees, and found a clone instead. The clone was shot and killed though." Tooth added the last party quietly.

"So this guy, North, is trying to figure out why we're here, with the same faces but different people?" Trisha guessed.

"Yes, and protecting you from what's wiping the clones out." Tooth added. Trisha's eyes went wide with realization.

"Trisha…you and many others are subjects of an illegal medical experiment. If the person who cloned you was ever discovered the man or women would have to be prisoned or executed. People are afraid of death, no matter how much others will say the time will come. The person behind the cloning is trying to cover any traces of the experiment, which would include killing you in one way or other." Trisha breathed heavily, tears filling her eyes. _People **are **afraid of death, _Trisha thought.

"But we won't let that happen, that will never happen. You and the clones included. I promise." Tooth smiled at Trisha. Trisha smiled back, painfully.

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Tooth." Trisha told her.

* * *

After getting changed back into Emilia's clothes, Tooth brought Trisha out to meet North.

Quinn and Bunny came out from the Lab, chatting quietly about the equipment and the men and women who worked in the Lab. Trisha smiled at the two, and then almost ran head-in into the man in red.

"Ay!" North exclaimed happily. Trisha stepped backwards, staring up at the white-bearded man. "You are awake, good! We can talk now." North beckoned Trisha and Tooth to follow him to a table. Trisha quirked an eyebrow and Tooth shrugged, bringing her over to the table with North. Trisha sat in the chair and examined the big man.

"Your name is Trisha, yes?" North asked. Trisha nodded, furrowing her eyebrows.

"I am North, as Tooth probably told you. Do you know why we recruited Tooth?" North asked. Trisha shrugged.

"No."

"We needed information about you. We also needed to find you-"

"How did you even know about me? How did you know where I was!" Trisha questioned. Tooth snapped back, shocked at Trisha's outburst. North heaved a sigh and leaned back in chair, crossing his arms.

"We traveled to each City, looking for Believers. We found girl that looked like Melantha- her name was Tamah- and we were baffled. We looked into it more, discovering you and others. We found over twelve clones, more like Quinn outside Gates. Some are dead, some are unprotected." North told Trisha. Trisha's magenta eyes bounced between the men who walked into the lab with Quinn, and North who ate some berries without a care.

"How does Tooth fit into all of this?" Trisha questioned. Tooth sighed, grabbing Trisha's hand.

"I agreed to give some information about you, and in return they promised to help me train to be a Guardian." Tooth said, guilt edging her voice.

"T-Tooth?" Trisha's eyes welded up; she jerked her hand away, standing up so quickly that her chair fell over. "Why? Why!" Trisha yelled at Tooth, backing away. Quinn came out of the Lab again, her eyes falling on Trisha.

"I did because they said that they would figure this all out. T-They were-they are protecting you!" Tooth choked out, reaching for Trisha's arm. Trisha flinched away; her body became hollow and cold. _I told Tooth personal stuff…words I can never take back…_

"I d-didn't give away your personal thoughts! They just asked about your family and the M-Mentor Ceremony-"

"I need time to think!" Trisha exclaimed, her voice raspy and high-pitched. Trisha started stumbling towards the room she slept in. Quinn and Bunny went after her immediately, worry clear in their eyes. Trisha grasped the doorknob and stumbled in and landed on her knees.

"N-No…I never meant to hurt her…" Tooth choked, tears streaming down her face.

"I know you didn't." North said, resting a warm hand on Tooth's shoulder.

Quinn and Bunny sat next to Trisha who cried into Quinn's shoulder. She grasped both their hands, feeling lonely and lost. _Tooth…my life given out…I don't know…it hurts…she didn't mean too…I don't know…I'm losing myself…_

"I wished this never happened. I wish there were no clones. I-I want to go home and s-sleep in m-my own bed a-a-and not feel the guilt…k-knowing that I've dragged innocent people into this!" Trisha stuttered.

"I told you it's not your-"

"Yes it is! It is always my fault! The man, who followed me and killed at the party, a-and posing as s-somebody else and n-not telling you about E-Emilia…I-I hurt you…! A-and Hubert…he might be dead! There's too much b-blood and too much drama for me to h-handle!" Trisha sobbed harder, her body shaking from head to toe.

"You've done nothing wrong, I swear Trisha it's not your fault. Everything is just…trippy and unexpected." Bunny didn't know what to say to the smaller girl. She was so vulnerable at the moment he didn't want to send her off sobbing harder.

"I-I don't want this to happen anymore…I-I don't want the blood and death and me always crying….it must get annoying." Trisha breathed hard, not cracking a smile.

"Emotions are like hell and heaven. Either they hurt you or make you feel like air." Quinn told her, letting her rest her head on her shoulder.

"You need sleep, mate. You haven't got a lot these past few weeks." Bunny told Trisha. Trisha nodded, lifting her head and opening her tired eyes.

"Let's get you up." Quinn muttered. Bunny and Quinn helped the shaky girl up on her feet and let her crawl into the bed. Quinn and Bunny didn't leave until Trisha was deep in sleep.

* * *

"Oh my god my back hurts." Kamea groaned as she closed the door the warehouse. She clipped it shut then fell onto the green couch, letting out a sigh of relief.

"You spend your entire week bending over a computer screen of course it's going to hurt." Her brother Alyx called out from behind the counter. He reached his hand into the mini fridge and pulled out a spray bottle. He walked over to the couch and started spraying Kamea in the face.

"Make room, Kitty." Alyx demanded. Kamea made a sour face and crossed her arms.

"No." She pouted. Alyx rolled his eyes, them a smirk slowly etched onto his face.

"Then I'll just have to sit on your face." Alyx said lightly. He was about to sit on her when she shot straight up yelping.

"Okay, okay you arse." Kamea raised her hands as if she were being arrested by cops. Alyx smiled slyly and took a sip of his wine.

Maksima watched from the window and grinned. She twisted the knife in her hand and jumped down from the crates she was standing on to see through the window. She ran straight towards a blue car and jumped in, leaving behind the screams of the two siblings.

"_Истинный__ангел_." _True Angel… _Kamea and Alyx blacked out after the gas bomb went off.

* * *

Kamea already spent a week in the dark and gloomy cages. All she could do was throw rocks at other cages and watch Maksima's hand shadows every night.

The first time she and Maksima met…needless to say Kamea had fainted in her cage. She didn't really want to talk to the look-a-like all that much. She doesn't even know if she has a twin sister, she had been in the foster care system until she was ten and never heard about a twin sister leaving the orphanage.

There was a man who came out every night, taking three teens with him from the cages. Sometimes they'd come back with guards with cuts or burns on their faces or come back with the man himself, that's when they didn't have any injuries. Kamea didn't know what to make of it though, Maksima knew clearly.

"He does not mean to be so touchy." Maksima whispered to Kamea one night after the three teens had fallen asleep. Kamea knitted her eyebrows together, leaning over a bit so her cage swung towards Maksima.

"How do you know?" Kamea questioned.

"I was baby when I set out for world. I was lost without light…then Mister Black took me here. He gave me stuff, and rose me up like those Soldiers inside Gem Cities, dah? I grew up with the dark Mister but it was nice some time too." Maksima rubbed her thumb over the cage and shook her head.

"I-I- don't understand." Kamea uttered. Maksima sighed and shifted onto her side to face the other look-a-like.

"He does not mean to bear blood out of your skin; he misses something from his heart." Maksima said sadly. She pulled the bright blonde hair from her face and twisted it until it was a knot.

"He misses someone or something?" Kamea asked, she'd never heard of a criminal or abductor who had a heart.

"He is not monster, but nor human." Maksima curled up on her side and closed her eyes.

* * *

**_Two weeks later_**

Trisha shot her gun at the target three times before the third bullet finally hit the middle. She brought her arms down and put the gun down on the counter in front of her. She glanced over and saw Melantha shooting arrows, and quirked an eyebrow, pulling off the noise cancelling headphones.

"It's a shooting range Mels." Quinn stated as she walked up to them in the white lab coat. Mels turned around and stuck her tongue out at Quinn and yelled _"I'm shooting arrows!"_ Quinn chuckled under her breath before walking towards Bunny who was using the boomerang knife for training.

Tooth walked slowly out from around a corridor that led out back to the main room. She watched as the four laughed then went back to training. She almost didn't recognize Trisha in the moment. She was different, physically and emotionally.

Mels glanced over her shoulder, opening her mouth to speak with Trisha but caught sight of Tooth. She closed her mouth slowly, something unexplainable filling her eyes. Mels walked over towards Trisha, telling her silently who was at the corner.

Trisha whipped her head around and spotted Tooth. She set her gun down again and started walking towards Tooth. Tooth straightened her back, playing with the ends of her brown.

"Tooth?" Trisha asked.

"Trisha, I-I…you know I didn't mean hurt you right?" Tooth uttered. Trisha raised her eyebrows at the amount of stress and worry that was filling her voice.

"What kind of information did you give away, Tooth?" Trisha questioned. She bit her lip nervously.

"Where you born, how old you were, who were your parents-nothing like the 'Baby Tooth' business or secrets about how scared you were of the Cities and War…I gave away nothing that they could use against you! Besides, I know that they wouldn't harm you or anybody except who do want to hurt you." Tooth placed her hand delicately Trisha's shoulder. Trisha ran a hand through her short blonde hair and rubbed her forehead.

"I'm just confused...who do I trust? I-It's been weird and…and scary." Trisha shook her head. She leaned against the wall for support. "I-I…I don't know who I am anymore. Am I clone or a-a person? Am I just a subject used in a medical experiment or am I a human who just happens to have the same face as more than twelve other girls?" Trisha stuttered. She absolutely refused to let tears fall down her face again; she was merely questioning something any other…clone would ask. She started biting the skin around her thumb, knowing that her own mind was lying to itself.

"Trisha…you are your own person. I know it's hard handling all this information and discoveries you've been given and made. You may be a replica of someone's DNA, but you are real in my eyes." Tooth brought Trisha into a hug. Trish rested her head onto Tooth's shoulder closing her eyes for a moment, then opened them back up.

"Tooth?" Trisha asked. Tooth nodded, signaling Trisha to go on. Trisha drew back knitting her eyebrows together.

"What is out there? I mean, beyond the Gates, beyond the strange lands that change every mile? What is it like?" Trisha asked, a hopeful look edging around her eyes.

"It would take months to find out…and besides, I think you've been doing enough running for now." Tooth smiled painfully at the younger girl. Trisha chuckled and ran a hand through her hair again. She caught a glimpse of the silver chain around her wrist, the one she was supposed to take off after being chosen by her Mentor.

"I'm Baby Tooth, nobody else." Trisha muttered. Tooth furrowed her eyebrows.

"What did you say?" Tooth asked. Trisha shook her head, smiling at Tooth brightly.

"Nothing." Trisha told her. Tooth smiled back at Trisha and told she had to leave, walking away. Trisha turned back around then stopped. She glanced back at Tooth and saw the wings wrapped up behind her back.

* * *

"Have we arrived?"

"Yes."

"The door is open wide, Ma'am."

"What do you mean it's open wide?"

"Someone has been here before."

The Soldiers walked in fast, their guns held up for any ambushes. A few went off to inspect the house while a Soldier stood by every opening. The Commander-in-Chief wove her way through the City Soldiers that waited outside, watching every Citizen with sharp eyes. She followed one Soldier towards a bedroom, where the bathroom door and closet were wide open.

"Converse and hair samples." One man said. She nodded, watching them as they placed the items into bags.

"Look for fingerprints, clothes, hair samples." C-in-C ordered two men. Both of them nodded going off to search for evidence. She took the shoe and hair samples and placed them in a pack.

"Ma'am." A Soldier approached.

"Yes, did you find anything?"

He pulled out a few bags with hair samples in them. "We found them on clothing left behind." C-In-C nodded taking the bags and placing them in the pack. She gave the pack to a man dressed in Topaz.

"Take it back to the Head Government's Laboratory. If it doesn't get there…well let's just say you won't see daylight again." C-in-C ordered. The Topaz City Soldier nodded then walked out of the flat with two other men.

* * *

"Do we have Believer Artemis?"  
"She is out with her brother Apollo."

"Trainee Hansel?"

"Up North to catch a Cannibalistic Witch with his sister Gretel."

"Believer Anastasia?"

"Dimitri took her out to find smuggled goods in Paris, remember?"

"Ah, yes! What about Peter then?"

"He's in hiding with children of a family. Though the parents haven't been seen. Last time he contacted was three months ago."

"Trainee Jasmine?"

"Aladdin and Jasmine are in London right now, trying to find a missing Royal couple named Rose and John Smith."

"Believers Helios and Selene?"

"They have contacted us for a few months sir, they were last seen on opposite sides of the world."

"Astrid-"

"With Hiccup-"

_"__Я обращаться к агенту_!" North yelled in Russian. The Elf Agent shook his head.

"We'll find a Trainee…Jamie Bennett…no…Pippa Overland…with Hermes…How about _Clara_?"

* * *

"Amita! Lock up for tonight!"

Amita placed the bucket of glass bottles on the counter as her boss left, placing the keys on the counter on his way out. He fixed his clean, new white pants suit and tipped his top at her before disappearing into a black car. She looked at the rags-for-clothes compared to his, and shook her head. She took the keys and placed it in the pocket of her apron.

She sighed and placed her head in her hands and thought for a moment. If she locked up without throwing out the bottles and putting away the new drinks she could just blame it on the new guy who'd be in first thing next morning. She didn't really want to blame him and get him in trouble, but she was too tired to lift more boxes and buckets again tonight.

Amita grabbed the few coins and a dollar left for her on the counter and put them in her pocket. She walked towards the door and smiled, happy to get out of the rotten bar. But before she could, someone came up behind her and wrapped their hand around her mouth and took both of her hands behind her back. She started screaming into the stranger's hand, though doing so would do no good.

On instinct, she wrapped both legs around the stranger's and pressed her weight against her and forced her to fall back. The woman that trapped Amita fell backwards onto the chair, bringing Amita down with her. The stranger groaned, loosening her hold on Amita. Amita shot her arm through the woman's arm and twisted it to hold her against the floor. Though, the woman was too strong and flipped Amita onto her back.

The bell connected to the door rang, and the groan of the door opening echoed throughout the bar. Amita froze, and so did the woman. A loud grunt came from behind the woman holding Amita down, and the girl who came into the bar took a hold of the woman and threw against the counter. Amita quickly scrambled to her feet, watching as the short hair girl pulled out something like a gun and pointed it at the attacker.

"What are you going to do, Cupcake? Shoot me? Yeah right-" The girl stepped forward and tasered the woman. The older woman started to shake and jump until the younger one stepped back and let her fall to the ground. Amita's eyes widened slightly, bouncing between the woman and younger girl.

"Sorry about that. I hate it when I have to take out my taser." The short brown-haired girl apologized to Amita as she faced her. Amita nodded, swallowing hard even though her mouth was dry.

"Clara. Or," Clara pointed to her shirt which had a smiling cupcake on it. "…Cupcake." She smiled at Amita. Amita raised an eyebrow.

"Not what you expected did you?" Cupcake asked with a smile. Amita nodded in response; for once in her life, she was at lost for words.

"Sorry I shocked you. I needed to come and get you so when I saw her-"

"Wait, wait, you need to take me where?" Amita interrupted, crossing her arms.

"I promise you it is nothing bad, nobody is going to hurt you-"  
"I just got jumped by a woman, and even though you saved me, my guards are up right now." Amita told Cupcake, digging her heels into the floor.

"Please, it's for your protection. Someone is coming to get you." Cupcake begged. She lifted a hand towards the blonde-haired woman. "She is a part of some sort of evil plan that involves killing you and a few other people too."

"I'm going to need more info than that to believe in you." Amita told Cupcake.

"I can't give any more than that. If you won't go with me I'm just going to have to stay here with you then." Cupcake crossed her arms and sat down on a table, looking at Amita as if she was challenging her.

"Look, Cupcake, I don't know you. I can't exactly trust you. Can you just-please, leave me be?" Amita tried to ask politely and calmly, though desperation edged her voice.

"Fine. But when trouble comes, I'll be here. No you better leave before she wakes up." Cupcake shoved Amita out the door and exited out the back. Amita waited a few minutes, listening to the sound of Cupcake's motorcycle and as it drove away.

Amita flipped up the hood to her sweater and started running towards her car. She started shaking, numbness exploding from the core of her stomach and up into her veins, to her head. She blinked a couple times before fiddling in the pockets of her jeans to find the keys. She missed the slot a few times before actually getting it in. She jumped into the car and sat there for a moment, trying to stop shaking. Her mind blurred, and for a moment, she swore she saw herself, walking in the middle of the street. And in the blink of eye, she was gone.

* * *

Kamea picked at her cage's lock with her hairpin, biting her lip until it started cracking and blood leaked onto tongue. She winced, her eyes watering. She licked her lips, though it stung if they were wet or dry. She pulled back from the lock and heaved a sigh, running a hand through her black her. Her blue and magenta eyes bounced to Maksima who slept in what looked like an uncomfortable position.

_'True…sincere…fake.' _The man's voice creeped into the back of her head, causing her to shake it violently. It didn't stop though; his voice filled her head with the words he gave the two girls yesterday.

_'You are sincere, you are true. The others, they are noting but dust…copy cats.'_ Maksima had listened obediently the entire time, like the speech had been given to her for a long time. Kamea didn't say a word, fearing that if spoke out or questioned him, something would happen to her like the three in the cages in the dark side of the underground room.

Jack watched Kamea and Maksima, throwing little pieces of rocks and dirt out of his cage. He glanced at Merida and Hubert who slept peacefully. In secret they had talked about the GUARDIANs Society, about Merida and Hubert's abilities (Merida wasn't very open about hers, seeing as she was embarrassed about the fact that she could talk to animals and understand like some princess would. Hubert was high-tech genius, brilliant in working with computers and could infiltrate Government files if he wanted to), and of course, talked about the clones.

Jack was worrying about all of them and their safety. All he knew was that Hubert made sure the girls and Bunny would make it back to 'The Workshop'. Jack had no idea what that meant but all he could do was try to trust Hubert at the moment.

While spending his nights restless, watching over the four in the cages, another girl was brought in. He had listened in on the British man's conversation with a guard, giving the man basic info about the clone. '_Drusilla Oriole, age 22. No tests have been run…' _It was impossible to get more information since the man talked so low and quiet it was almost like a whisper.

Jack sat back in his cage, squinting his eyes trying to get a better look at the other clone. From what he could, her eyes were blue and magenta like Kamea and Maksima's and her hair had been cut to a pixie cut, and her face was still the same boyish oval face all the other clones had. He blinked his eyes and looked at the blonde-haired Maksima and black-haired Kamea, comparing the two to Drusilla. He blinked, shaking his head. How could three people with same exact face be so different at the same time?

* * *

"Please?"

"No!"

"Trisha c'mon, Bunny and I really need-"

"You are not going to test my blood-"

"I need to see if we have-"

"Sicknesses, that's all you've been saying for the past three weeks-!"

"Excuse me-!"

"TRISHA! QUINN!" Bunny yelled at the two. The two look-a-likes turned towards Bunny, their hands on their hips and irritated looks in their eyes. He swallowed hard and took a few tiny steps backwards.

"What is it Aster?" Quinn asked, almost snapped, at him. His eyes grew wide and fearful; it was never a good time for him when she actually started calling him 'Aster'. He shook his head a bit, taking a step forward towards the girls.

"Arguing will get us nowhere. Look, Trisha, we know it might get a little annoying-"

"Hey!"

"Quinn."

"…Sorry."

Bunny turned back towards Trisha and gave a small smile. "It might get a little annoying with Quinn experimenting and studying about the clones, but, you-she-all of us wants to understand this mess!" Bunny threw his hands in the air dramatically. Quinn and Trisha gave a small smile towards the six-foot tall man and nodded, signaling for him to go on.

"Cloning hasn't been attempted-let alone successful-since the early days of the War. Something like this happening is incredible." Bunny shrugged. Trisha looked hard at him, her arms tightening around herself.

"What? Being cloned and knowing that you might be fake?" Trisha questioned. Bunny's eyes widened, while Quinn gaped, trying to find the words to tell Trisha. Bunny ran a hand through his blue hair and let out a heavy sigh.

"No, Trisha-"

"I'm sorry I said it. Just take the blood." Trisha snapped, though her eyes intended an apology. Bunny nodded while Quinn came out and held up the needle. She glanced back at Trisha for moment and slowly stuck the needle in her arm. Trisha bit her lip; she never really like being poked or prodded…and she hated shots. But she kept her mouth shut and ignored the prickling of pain in her right arm. Quinn nodded, placing the tube of her blood in a silver case and started walking back down the corridor towards the main entrance where she could go back to the lab.

Bunny looked back down at the smaller blonde, and sighed. "I'm-I don't-"

"Bunny. I'm sorry; I've just been snappy lately." Trisha shrugged, rubbing her left arm. She study her feet, not wanting to look into the older boy's green eyes. Bunny shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck.

"It's alright, sheila." Bunny told her. Trisha nodded, smiling a bit. She started walking back into the corridor when Bunny called her back.

"I know your trying to block off all your emotions but…" he stayed silent for a moment, biting his lip and carefully choosing the words in his head. "…Feeling means you're human. It'd be horrible not to have them."

Trisha bit her lip, not looking back at Bunny. She nodded and started speed-walking into the corridor. When she knew Bunny couldn't see her, she took off into a sprint, passing by the Believers and ELVES (agents that worked at the Workshop rather than in the fields like Believers) who looked back at her curiously. Trisha just felt like running, and everybody knew not to stop her.

* * *

Quinn sat in the lab for days-maybe even a whole week, she wasn't keeping track- waiting for the identification to finish. Bunny came in to eat dinner, lunch, and sometimes breakfast with her if he felt up to it. Melantha and Trisha were left to North and tooth while she was gone.

Quinn flipped a few of her dreads to the side, noticing a few brown hairs peeking underneath the blonde. She furrowed her eyebrows but paid no attention to matter. She crisscrossed her legs, feeling hunger gnaw at her stomach and bent over, and frowned a bit.

"I've got steak." Bunny announced as he entered the lab.

_'HALLEUJAH!' _Quinn screamed in her mind. But all she muttered was a quiet, "Thanks" to the blue-haired boy.

"How's it going?" Bunny asked, sitting down at the wooden table in the corner of the room. Quinn followed, shrugging. She pulled out her chair and took her glasses off, rubbing her face.

"North hates lying to the two…you know lying about the experiment that's actually-"

"Can we talk about something other than the mess everyone keeps calling the experiment?" Quinn asked desperate and irritated at the same time. Bunny softened his gaze and nodded, looking at the younger girl sadly.

"Your birthday is coming up." Bunny told her. Quinn's eyes widened; she had forgotten all about her own birthday!

"Oh yeah." Quinn replied, taking a quick sip to the water bottle Bunny gave her.

"How old are you going to be now?" Bunny asked.

"Fifteen…Trisha would've turned fifteen last month since she's from the City of Emerald." Quinn thought, then stuffed some of the juicy steak in her mouth. Bunny raised his eyebrows to his hairline.

"She never told us."

"That's because she was pretending to be Emilia at the time." Quinn told Bunny. Bunny made an 'O' shape with his lips and nodded a bit, taking a bite of his baby carrots. A silence fell over to two friends, nothing but the sound of high-pitched whirring coming from a machine at the back of the room. Quinn thought about the clones, Mels and Trisha. She wondered if Trisha even knew at that point that her mom was a surrogate, a part of the medical experiment. Quinn hoped not, her friend had been through enough already.

"What if something happens?" Quinn said in a hollow voice, staring at her blue nails. She tapped them against the brown table, becoming lost in her thoughts.

"What?" Bunny questioned, crossing his arms.

"What if we're killed before we can solve this…this pain in the arse mystery?" Quinn questioned, leaning back in her chair and biting her index finger. She looked at Bunny who shook his head.

"Nothing will happen Q-"

"You can't guarantee that Aster. You can't always tell us we'll be protected when, whenever we go there might be someone coming after us!" Quinn yelled. She placed her hands on the table, digging her finger nails into the wood. "**_I_** can't guarantee your safety. I dragged you into this! All because I was an idiot left some files out on the counter and you found them while as I was gone!" Quinn's voice cracked, slamming her fists onto the table. Bunny stood up, grabbing her wrists. Bunny stared down into her magenta eyes hard, his lips held in a tight line.

"It was my decision to help you. I swore that I'd protect you even after you wouldn't talk to me for two weeks." Quinn winced at the flash of hurt in Bunny's eyes and closed her mouth. She didn't mean to ever be rude towards him…she just couldn't control her guilt sometimes.

"Even though I don't know if one of us will make it out alive…or none of us at all." Bunny heaved a sigh. "All I know is that you're my best friend. You were the only one who took me in after my family died. I owe you something…and don't you start on how I owe nothing!" Bunny pointed at a finger at her. "I'll still stand by you."

Quinn's eyes watered and she grabbed Bunny in for a tight hug. She clutched to the back of shirt and buried her head into his chest. Bunny wrapped his arms delicately around the fragile girl and rested his chin on top of her head.

"I'm sorry…if you couldn't tell, I'm little stressed out." Quinn told him, though her voice was slightly muffled through his t-shirt. Bunny rubbed her back, trying to comfort her.

"It gets the best of us, Q." Bunny told her. Quinn stayed silent, closing her eyes and stood still, wrapped in Bunny's arms. She pulled back at bit, lifting her head to look at Bunny.

"I just want it to be over. I've been stuck in this ordeal since I was eleven a-and…I think I've had enough of it. I only see my own face every day and it hurts to know I'm causing deaths and stress because I'm fighting back." Quinn sniffed. She shook her head, dropping her hold around Bunny. She went back to clawing the wood but refused to break eye contact.

"But we're getting somewhere. We're close to ending this mess. Once it's over we can all go our separate ways and actually begin a life." Bunny said with a small smile. Quinn furrowed her eyebrows.

"We can't do that. Not yet anyways." Quinn told him. She sat back down in her seat. Bunny sighed, ruffling his hair when he ran his hand through it. Quinn crossed her arms, and kept sniffling.

Trisha pulled away from the door, walking back towards the main room quietly. She entered the main room, examining everyone there. Tooth was chatting to Melantha excitedly while North spoke to an ELF worker. Trisha swiftly made it back to the table and pulled out a seat to sit in.

"So does his teeth actually-?"

"Yes, like freshly fallen snow." Melantha smiled brightly at Tooth. Trisha raised an eyebrow tapping her foot nerevously. She tried laughing along with the two girls.

"I'm guessing Tooth and I are not the only one who loves teeth?" Trisha asked shyly, a pink blush rising to her cheek. Melantha shrugged, a blush rising to her cheeks.

"Quinn babbled something about Bunny's teeth and colorful Easter eggs in her sleep!" Melantha fought back. Trisha raised her eyebrows to her hairline and widened her eyes, though a sly smile was on her face.

"I hope not all the clones have a strange fetish for teeth." Trisha mumbled. Tooth turned to her and raised an eyebrow.

"What?" Trisha shrugged. "Well, at least Trisha's got the…what is it called? Easter eggs to go with the teeth love."

"Is there anything other than teeth that appeal to you?" Melantha asked, genuinely curious. Trisha ruffled her blonde hair (which for some reason was turning a dark shade of brown) and glanced down at her plain nails.

"I want to be a writer." Trisha told Mels.

"I used to have this dream…that I'd be a great singer one day." Mels told the two. Trisha lifted her eyes and tilted her head.

"I am someone you know! Thief is just a label." Mels defended herself. Trisha raised her hands and shook her head.

"I'm no trying to insult you."

The table became silent and only the quiet talk of North and the ELF worker could be heard. Trisha swore she heard something ringing coming from the Lab but ignored it. She glanced back up Mels and sighed.

"Quinn has been involved with the clones since she was eleven." Trisha told the two. Tooth whipped around, her hair flying in a batch colors. Her eyes were wide and full of sympathy, while Mels's eyes were casted down.

"T-That's-I have no words." Tooth sighed.

"It would mean Emilia would've been nine or ten when she found Quinn." Trisha said. Tooth's eyes grew even wider and Mels finally lifted her head.

"That's sick. How could she have found out? I mean-"

"Emilia was nearly killed by a woman named Maksima when she was 10." North sighed sadly. He rubbed he face and sat down next to Mels. A Believer stomped into the halls of the Workshop, an ELF trying to calm her down.

"Maksima?" Tooth questioned.

"A clone, the age of 20 at the time…we suspect that she is working with the one who has cloned you." North told Mels and Trisha.

"How could you know she was a clone? She should be at least 22 by now and-"

"Melantha, looks do not fade as much as you think." North waved a finger at her. Mels furrowed her eyebrows and crossed her arms, looking curiously at the older man.

"From a hard drive Hubert left behind at Quinn's house; we have learned that Maksima is one of the older clones. She was sent outside the Gates like a few other girls, while 12 were sent to the Cities. She was the only brought back to the Creator. That's all we have." North told the three ladies quietly, as if it said it too loudly, someone would pounce on the four.

"Why…why is she different …so much darker than us?" Trisha questioned. North shrugged, playing with the gold ring around his thumb.

"She was raised up by the Creator, she might've been taught the wrong information or worse." Tooth thought. Trisha bit her lip while Mels gave a hard look.

"Or trained to kill." Mels spat. Trisha shook her head, laughing. It was hollow laughter, no emotion behind it at all.

"Great. Another twin who's a psycho." Trisha bit the skin around her thumb.

"Trisha, this is not a joking matter." Tooth scolded. Quinn laughed, coming up behind the group, surprising them all.

"No, keep laughing and joking, Emilia couldn't." Quinn said with a sad smile. Trisha casted her eyes down, her lips in a tight line. Quinn ignored the silence and threw a file onto the table.

"I'm going to cut to the chase: Trisha and I are not genetically identical. I tried to find a match in our fingerprints and examined the samples and tested, and experimented…but nothing came out with the same result. We may look the same but our DNA is completely different." Quinn tried to find the correct words. Trisha furrowed her eyebrows, looking between the bewildered Quinn and confused North. He read through the files, looking through them carefully.

"That's what you've been doing in there for the entire week?" Trisha asked. Quinn shrugged, nodding. Bunny crossed his arms looking at the files worriedly.

"Then…all of this…everything that has been happening shouldn't matter. Just because we look the same doesn't mean anything-"

"It does matter. Someone is coming after the clones and killing them off because the Creator is trying to erase any trace of illegal experimenting. We've talked about this before." Tooth told Trisha. Trisha sat back in her chair, crossing her arms.

"Besides, it's only us Trisha, if we can find other clones-"

"How do we know they're not dead?"

"We have been searching for them, but we only found you three and girls named Amita and Cade. It will take few weeks for girls to been brought here." North said.

"How long will it take to find all living girls?" Mels asked.

"We have very few Believers working here in Cities. It will take weeks and weeks to find all of them. It might even turn into months." North said, playing with the fur on the rim of his coat.

"We're going to have to be patient with this." Tooth said. She grabbed Trisha's hand, biting her lip. Trisha looked at the others, seeing that all of them were looking at her.

"Has anybody ever thought that Hubert, Jack and Merida are being held with the Creator?" Trisha asked. Mels nodded a bit while the others just looked at her curiously.

"Oh c'mon! When Jack, Merida, and Hubert get back, and after they've had time to heal, we can start learning more about this Creator person." Trisha exclaimed. Everyone looked at each with doubt in their eyes. Would the three even make it out alive? Were they even alive at all?

"It's a possibility Trisha but-"

"We have to keep our minds open, Tooth. The Creator wouldn't want to get rid of three people who know his or hers clones personally." Trisha said, though a shudder passed through her body. Tooth tightened her hold on Trisha's hand.

"It is logical." Quinn responded. North clasped his hands together; his eyes casted down and worry edging around them. Before anybody could speak again, the large clock above them chimed, showing everyone it was midnight. North stood up and sighed.

"We shall speak soon in the morning. Now, we all must go to bed." North said. Everyone nodded without a word and started heading off into their bedrooms and halls. Tooth looked back at Trisha, slowly letting go of her hand. After Tooth left, she still sat in her chair, her eyes ghosting over the seats everybody had sat in. North looked back at her before walking into his hall, Trisha met his eyes and swore she some sort of sadness in his eyes. Before she could question it, he was gone.

All the lights turned off, leaving Trisha alone. A shiver traveled down her spine again, causing her to jump out of her chair. She gasped, shaking a bit. She started running into the dark hallways, trying to find her door. She slapped into the red door, twisting the knob open with a shaky hand and stumbled in. She heaved a sigh of relief when the light washed over her again. She bit her lip, feeling childish.

She was afraid of the dark again.

* * *

_What are endings?_

_I can't write at all. It's even worse when I have writer's block. _

_(by the way it's a double chapter, which means two combined. Why? Because I'm leaving for camp tomorrow)_


End file.
